Greatest opening lines in Literature (and why they are so great) Part 1
The first line of a book is very important because it can either capture or deter the attention of a reader. Many of the greatest authors and storytellers knew how to leverage the power of that first line in a manner that immediately sparked curiosity in the mind of their reader, leaving them interested in knowing what came next.
Here’s some of the most popular opening lines published in literature:
• “𝗖𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗺𝗲 𝗜𝘀𝗵𝗺𝗮𝗲𝗹.” — Herman Melville, ‘Moby-Dick’
It’s direct, personal, and instantly makes you ask ‘Who is Ishmael?’
• “𝗜𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗱 𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗶𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗹, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗸𝘀 𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗲𝗻.” — George Orwell, ‘1984’
A vivid anomaly that jolts you into Orwell’s dystopian universe. Thirteen!?
• “𝗜𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝗽𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝘂𝗿𝗻.” — Ray Bradbury, ‘Fahrenheit 451’
Bradbury uses paradox to ignite intrigue in just six words.
• “𝗜𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄𝗹𝗲𝗱𝗴𝗲𝗱, 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮 𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗹𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗮 𝗴𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗻𝗲, 𝗺𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗯𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗮 𝘄𝗶𝗳𝗲.” — Jane Austen, ‘Pride and Prejudice’
Austen’s wit shines through a universally relatable truth.
• “𝗜 𝗮𝗺 𝗮 𝘀𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝗺𝗮𝗻… 𝗜 𝗮𝗺 𝗮 𝘀𝗽𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝗺𝗮𝗻.” — Fyodor Dostoevsky, ‘Notes from Underground’
Raw and brutally honest, the narrator immediately grabs your attention.
• “𝗜𝗻 𝗺𝘆 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘃𝘂𝗹𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝗺𝘆 𝗳𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗴𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗺𝗲 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗜’𝘃𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝗻 𝗺𝘆 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗲.” — F. Scott Fitzgerald, ‘The Great Gatsby’
Fitzgerald’s reflective tone hints at the profound tale to come.
We can see how each line is clear, intrigues the reader, has a distinct voice and sets the mood for the entire book.
Stay tuned for Part 2!
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